Getting your mail just got easier.
Mail Boxes Etc.’s newest service eliminates the need to physically check your post box, offering the convenience and flexibility of securely viewing and managing mail through an app.
The first service of its kind in Cayman, Virtual Mailbox is just like a regular mailbox, only without the hard copies. When Mail Boxes Etc. receives a piece of mail, instead of placing it inside a traditional physical mailbox, one of the staff takes a picture of the outer envelope or package label and uploads it to the customer's Virtual Mailbox dashboard. The customer can then see and manage mail from a mobile device or computer.
Privacy is protected at every stage in the process and all mail can be viewed only by the customer via a secure portal.
Actions can then be requested for each piece of mail, such as "Hold for In-Store Pick up," "Forward," "Shred" or "Recycle."
Customers can also instruct Mail Boxes Etc. to open and scan mail, so the contents can be viewed electronically. Whether customers are on Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman or travelling abroad, they will be notified via app alerts, text messaging or emails when mail arrives and when a requested action has been completed.
The convenience of viewing and managing mail via an app is a useful option for those who frequently travel, work from home or otherwise cannot conveniently access their physical mailbox. The service is also beneficial for those who don’t receive much mail, but require a mailing address in order to open a bank account or set up utilities, said Mail Boxes Etc. Managing Director Lucy Tibbetts.
“There were a number of factors that got us thinking about Virtual Mailboxes," she said. "There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the way many people live and work, so we saw an opportunity to evolve our mailbox service to meet the changing needs of society."
It takes five minutes to apply for a Virtual Mailbox on the Mail Boxes Etc. website and applications are reviewed within one business day.
“Virtual Mailboxes may be the way of the future, but that is not to say that physical mailboxes are obsolete," said Tibbetts. "Physical mailboxes make sense for companies that receive a large volume of mail or for people that receive mail that they mostly want to keep such as magazines or greeting cards."
As a stand-alone service, Virtual Mailbox is available to anyone whether you are an existing Mail Boxes Etc. customer or not.
For more information, visit www.mbe.ky.
This article was originally featured in the October 2021 print edition of Camana Bay Times.